Effects of a Rehabilitation Exercise Program Using Electro Muscle Stimulation following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction on the Circumference, Activity, and Function of the Quadriceps Muscle

Abstract

The current study compared the effects of exercise program and a rehabilitation exercise program (REP) with electro muscle stimulation (EMS) on participants who had anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The control group (CONG, n = 12) and the electro muscle stimulation group (EMSG, n = 12) were equally assigned among the 24 patients who underwent ACL reconstruction. For 12 weeks, CONG executed the REP, and EMSG executed of added EMS into the REP. Every participant in the rehabilitative exercise program completed two 60 min sessions each week for a total of 12 weeks. Both a pre- and post-evaluation were completed before and after the workout session. IKDC (International Knee Documentation Committee) score, Lysholm score, thigh circumference, muscular activity, and isokinetic muscle function were the variables examined. The EMSG exposed a significant increase (p < 0.05) in Lysholm score, muscle circumference, muscle activity of vastus medialis (VM), rectus femoris (RM), and vastus lateralis (VL), and isokinetic function (peak torque, total work). However, CONG only showed a significant increase in IKDC score (p < 0.05). This study proved that the REP employing EMS following ACL reconstruction enhanced muscular activation during muscle contraction when compared to REP, and it showed that using EMS in rehabilitation exercise is an effective rehabilitation strategy.